Medicine of All Hearts
by SocialDisease609
Summary: Per Haskel is concerned that Inej is leaving the Slat on a routine and not sharing where she is going. He sends Kaz to tail her one night, and what Kaz learns about his new spy puts some humanity back into his heart.


Kaz didn't keep tabs on the whereabouts of his loyal members, who could care less what they did in their spare time when he felt he had them all figured out. But the Wraith had been going somewhere, and Per Haskell was disgruntled about it. Kaz trusted Inej, but his manager insisted. While Kaz couldn't possibly imagine Inej betraying The Dregs, Haskell demanded to know what she was doing. He only cared because she left the same time every night, and if anyone had delayed her in the slightest, he could see irritation brewing in the Suli girl.

What would push her to this emotion? What would incline her to want to head out at the same time every night? The boss had contemplated sending someone else after her, but since she was still fresh to the ranks, the one person who had any impression over her was Kaz.

And so Inej left tonight at the same time she had every night for the past week and a half, and Kaz followed her this time, waiting a few seconds to trail after her. He took his time, caring for his leg more than anything. It wasn't long until Inej found a fire escape to scramble onto, climbing without spending any stamina towards the top. Kaz would not follow her up. If he did, and she noticed him, there would be no excuse. If she saw him walking the streets while she was up there, it was more insignificant.

A small, small part of him was worried he'd lose sight of her, but a bigger part of his conscious confidently believed she was still taking this main street, just without traffic. She continued to walk on the roof of the building in the direction of the street, as Kaz anticipated. Kaz smirked in satisfaction as he continued down the street, his cane helping him onwards.

He admired Inej's athletic nature. He also approved of how she cared for herself. He wasn't too sure what the living conditions were in the Menagerie in terms of medicine, food, and exercise, but Inej chose wisely from the food she could get, only consuming what would strengthen her muscles and add fuel to her endurance. Multigrain breads, fruit, mainly light meat and fish, and dark green vegetables. While many members of the Dregs were chugging the alcohol of their choice, Inej stuck to water and the occasional fruit juice.

They kept moving down the street, and at the intersection, Inej turned left on the rooftop, and Kaz followed. He wondered if she knew he was tailing her. Wondered if she cared.

When he first brought her to the Crow Club, he assigned her one of the small rooms in the Slat, and she spent two days to herself before coming out to work. Kaz understood, and grimaced when he had to explain it to Per Haskel. The girl had left one drastic environment to another, and after all she went through at the Menagerie, he said he wouldn't have minded if she took a little bit more time.

They were heading in the direction of the harbor, and as Kaz continued to shadow her, his mind slipped back into memory lane. The morning that he purchased her indenture was something the two never brought up in great detail again, sparing each other the embarrassments that happened within that memory.

Kaz had arrived all by himself to escort Inej back to the Slat, but neither her or Tante Heleen knew this was the reason for his visit.

Kaz had simply walked in, leaning on his cane with the swagger of a man who knew what he had come for. The attendants immediately ushered him to the Heleen's office upon his request, and as he sat there, he eyed the silver platter that hosted a steaming cup of tea and a few frosted blueberry scones just for his special visit. When Heleen opened the door, Inej was standing behind her, in one of her costumes, Suli inspired and lynx themed. He saw curiosity in her eyes as they made eye contact, wondering if she should hope for some kind of outlet from him or be disappointed that he simply turned to her for the same kind of service every other man did.

"Please, Mr. Brekker, sit," Heleen instructed, and Kaz did, still looking at Inej. He could have sworn he could see her life flash behind her eyes, and then go dark, then resurface, then engulf into darkness again, as if her life was starting to drown, reaching out drastically from the waves each time it found the strength to break the surface waters. Then she quickly looked to her right, at Heleen. The woman was hiding a scowl, as she bitterly instructed through her teeth and a fake smile, "Go join the man."

Kaz had expected Inej to sit down in the chair next to him, as there were two chairs in this office opposite Heleen's desk, but no, Inej placed herself across his lap, arms loosely draped around his neck. Kaz froze in shock. Straight to work, the poor girl.

"To tell you the truth, Mr. Brekker, I actually never believed we could wrangle you in here for something more than a job, but I guess I shouldn't have underestimated our darling Inej here. She catches a lot of the customers' eyes, so I shouldn't have assumed she wouldn't catch yours."

Kaz could feel the mournfulness radiate off of Inej's body as she began playing with his hair, twisting it languidly in her fingers. He was paralyzed, traumatized by unexpected touch. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Heleen.

"Normally clients don't wish to handle their transactions in my office with their girls, but I made an exception for you, Mr. Brekker, especially since you said you had something big planned for her. I know I urge privacy, but I am curious…"

Kaz's stomach flipped in disgust, and then Inej leaned closer and placed a kiss behind his ear. Ice electrocuted through his system. He raised his hand and Inej pulled away. "That won't be necessary," he said to her. "Please, you may stand."

Tante Heleen raised a brow, but Inej rose from him. Standing next to her, Kaz leaned over to pickup the briefcase he had brought with him. "I'm here for her indenture." He placed the briefcase on Heleen's desk, unlocked the buckles and turned the case around as he opened its mouth, displaying a fresh and organized amount of _kruge_. "From here on out, Inej Ghafa will be employed by Per Haskel."

Tante Heleen didn't budge easily upon the presentation, going on about how she wasn't sure she could part with such a money maker, but Kaz instructed Inej to go to her room and change in to the clothes her had brought for her, grey trousers, a white button up, and a pair of black lightweight boots, he'd come for her when he was done with the negotiations.

Inej stopped at an intersection, slipping down the fire escape at leisure. Kaz could here music not too far off. Was she here to do some late-night business? Was she pocking money off of immigrants late in the night?

She moved down a dark alley, and Kaz followed, delighted at the abundance of shadows to utilize. The further down the alley they went, the louder the music was, and at an instant, Kaz recognized it to be the sounds of traditional Suli. Kaz frowned in what sympathy his calculating heart could spare. Inej peaked behind the corner of one of the many buildings and watched a small group of Suli performers as two women danced, swaying their hips and tangling their arms in the air above them, and three men played instruments. One patted gently on a collection of drums, the second giving his breath to a flute, and the last twanged away on a sitar as he sang. Kaz could see Inej gradually nod her head to the melody, simply just observing the act.

And then he heard words slip from her lips that he didn't understand, and realized she had begun quietly singing to herself, along with the man with the sitar. The song began to pick up in pace, filling the air with feel-good energy. Inej's shoulders started to move and her head bobbing had more spirit to it, and then the melody made its way down to her hips and her feet. The volume in her voice picked up and Kaz could tell, even though he couldn't see her face, that she was wearing a grand smile.

He smiled slightly, touched and relieved. So Inej had not slipped out of the Slat to conduct betraying or selfish business, but to steal a private moment to reconnect with her culture and identity. Kaz was going to turn around, but he didn't think he had witness something so pure in a long time.

Inej now broke out in a twirl, spinning on the toes of her Grisha-crafted slippers, hands extended in a sharp angle to the right as she halted. Then she moved her feet in small quick movements to one direction, then the next, her hips moving in time with the drums, her arms dancing in the air with expert flow and elegance. She continued this for the next thirty minutes, twirling and dancing to her heart's content with all the tempos that the group played, singing along as loud as her privacy could allow, knowing all the words. Hair had come loose, and strands hung in front of her face. She continued to smile as she breathed hard from the exercise and had not stop until the last song had finished.

Inej tried to push the strands of hair back up as she watched the Suli group begin to pack up. She leaned against the corner of the building once more, and Kaz knew Inej was straining her ears to hear what they said. His eyes dropped to her right hand, which had _kruge_ crumpled in her palm.

"Just one more day?" she whispered dejectedly, translating their words to herself. She bit her lip, watching them complete their packing, the _kruge_ crumbling in her hand tighter.

_Why wouldn't she go tip them?_ Kaz wondered.

The musicians finally went on their way down the road and Inej silently watched. Her hand dropped to her side and she shamefully pocketed the money. Pressing himself further into the shadows, Kaz watched Inej wipe away a single tear, all glee removed from her aura, and climb up the fire escape to undoubtably return back to the Slate.

Kaz made a mental note to get the musicians a permanent spot on the harbor…


End file.
